Forum opinion article....

[Tuk]

I saw this in Sunday's paper, and thought I might bring it to Bisonville to allow some of the fans read this good, concise piece of writing:
http://www.in-forum.com/articles/index.cfm?id=51551

Bill Ongstad letter: Roger Thomas makes wrong call
The Forum - 02/29/2004

I was saddened to read the Sioux decided not to play the Bison again.

The sad part is the lack of understanding of economics University of North Dakota Athletic Director Roger Thomas displays. Thirty dollars per ticket times 12,000 in the Alerus is $360,000. Thirty dollars times $19 in the FargoDome is $570,000. Both figures are megabucks. It is far better to exploit sports fans than poor parents through tuition hikes.

If Thomas and his wimpy Sioux are content to play the advanced high school teams of Bemidji State and MSUM, who am I to question their wisdom. The Bison may have their tails handed to them in Division I-AA, but Bison will be able to sleep at night having tried their best against the best.


Bill Ongstad

Harvey, N.D.

[Herd_Mentality]

So does it aggravate anyone else that people are automatically attributing the tuition hike to the move to D1? Why is it that when it comes to money in this state everyone becomes so shortsided?

[BisonFan]

So does it aggravate anyone else that people are automatically attributing the tuition hike to the move to D1? *Why is it that when it comes to money in this state everyone becomes so shortsided?

The cost of living in North Dakota is getting higher every year, yet the job market remains stagnant when it comes to decent paying jobs for those with a college education. This is why people don't like the increased costs. Costs are going up, but their salaries aren't. Granted, the D1 move isn't the only thing leading to higher tuition, but it sure is part of the reason.

[Herd_Mentality]

I'd have to disagree with you on that one, it has gotten a lot better in the last 5 years. It's why I moved back. The job market is stagnant in many areas because people aren't willing to take the risk to improve it.

Plus, the tuition hike had nothing to do with D1...with more students and an increase in graduate students comes a need for more professors and more grad assistant slots.

[IowaBison]

NDSU and UND are no where near competitive when it comes to faculty salaries in most fields. This is due in large part that our tuition is almost ridiculously low. While they need to be competitive with other public/private insititutions they could double their tuition and still be a bargain IMO.

[Junior]

The tuition increase has nothing to do with athletics. Never has. All universities have been seeing double digit increases for a number of years. I agree with HM, NDSU's tuition is a bargin. Check out the cost of in-state tution at Iowa universities for example. ND makes me laugh some times. It has super low state taxes yet everyone is always complaining about it. North Dakotans seem to want the state to pay for everything yet won't support it through taxes; want young people to come back into the state yet won't get rid of the cohabitation law.

Oh, (with all due respect) I am quite tired of hearing about Bison/Sioux and lack there of.

[Bisonfan1234]

Yes, NDSU is quite a good bargain for tuition.

One good thing (at least as far as ND is concerned) is that it will always have rich farm land.

This draws corporations up here to farm the land and hire people to work for them.

[WYOBISONMAN]

OK....1234 I hate to be an asshole, but I really have the urge today. Please tell me what "corporations" have moved up to North Dakota to hire people to farm. As far as I can remember corporate farming is very limited due to state legislation and the corporations that engage in farming in North Dakota are family held.

Where do you get this shit? I have to say it has amused the hell out of me today!

....this is my final 1234 rant for the day.... ;)

[Bisonfan1234]

Corporation farming is 1000x better than family farms for prices.

The consumer demands better. It's bullshit that the government gets in the way and forces people to buy farmily farmed food at a higher rate than market worth.

This is why i try as hard as i can to not eat fruits and vegitables. I'd rather just eat a vitamin supplement then pay those outrageous prices.

[BisonFan]

I'd have to disagree with you on that one, it has gotten a lot better in the last 5 years. *It's why I moved back. *The job market is stagnant in many areas because people aren't willing to take the risk to improve it.

Plus, the tuition hike had nothing to do with D1...with more students and an increase in graduate students comes a need for more professors and more grad assistant slots.

Increased enrollment was one of Chapman's goals to go with going D1! With increased enrollment, comes the need for more professors. With the need for more professors, comes the need for more funding. With the need for more funding comes hikes in the tuition rate! You need to view the whole picture of what's going on. The univerisity is in dire need of more money to fund Chapman's D1 vision and all the projects needed to realize that vision.

[BisonFan]

The tuition increase has nothing to do with athletics. *Never has. *All universities have been seeing double digit increases for a number of years. *I agree with HM, NDSU's tuition is a bargin. *Check out the cost of in-state tution at Iowa universities for example. *ND makes me laugh some times. *It has super low state taxes yet everyone is always complaining about it. *North Dakotans seem to want the state to pay for everything yet won't support it through taxes; want young people to come back into the state yet won't get rid of the cohabitation law.

Oh, (with all due respect) I am quite tired of hearing about Bison/Sioux and lack there of. *

The cohabitation law isn't enforced so why even bring it up? Young people don't come back to the state because they aren't paid what their college degree is worth if they stay in the state. If the cost of living in ND is so low why are all my monthly bills rising faster than my salary (including yearly merit raises at the maxiumum given). Its not like the company I work for can't afford it because its one of the largest corporations in the world. Anyways, this debate is straying way too far from football, so I'll sign off.

[BisonMav]

If the cost of living in ND is so low why are all my monthly bills rising faster than my salary (including yearly merit raises at the maxiumum given). *Its not like the company I work for can't afford it because its one of the largest corporations in the world. *
It's not just ND. How big is the executive bonus at this company? Executives are given a bonus for reaching profit goals for their company.

[GCWaters]

Bisonfan, you've got it backwards--Chapman never had a "D1 vision"--he had a "R1 vision" as in Research One, as in the output of the university in terms of external research funds and doctoral graduates. Increasing enrollment was a part of this, as was challenging each unit within the university to kick it up a notch. Going D1 was Bison Athletics' response to the R1 vision....Research and academics are driving this, not athletics...and the tuition increase will not fund athletics, although there will be a slight student fee increase that will help with the D1 transision....

[IowaBison]

By my logic tuition should go down when universities get larger. You have a big fixed cost in buildings, but it's not that hard to add another student to a class, another class to the schedule, another member to the faculty, and so on.

What the hell does an economist know anyway?

[BisonFan]

Bisonfan, you've got it backwards--Chapman never had a "D1 vision"--he had a "R1 vision" as in Research One, as in the output of the university in terms of external research funds and doctoral graduates. *Increasing enrollment was a part of this, as was challenging each unit within the university to kick it *up a notch. *Going D1 was Bison Athletics' response to the R1 vision....Research and academics are driving this, not athletics...and the tuition increase will not fund athletics, although there will be a slight student fee increase that will help with the D1 transision....

R1 and D1 went hand and hand. To see otherwise is to be ignorant of the obvious.

[IowaBison]

Chapman's a leader who wanted to see NDSU reach its potential, D1, R1, A1.

[somebison]

Chapman's a leader who wanted to see NDSU reach its potential, D1, R1, A1.

As opposed to Kupchella who beleives in R2D2

[IowaBison]

I'm more of a Chewbacca guy myself.

What a wookey!

[Tuk]

I wish someone would explain the whole tuition hike to the students. It seems that every time this comes through, the students are served up with the 10%+ hiked tuition and given the kick in the butt out the door.
I would like to see where EXACTLY my tuition money is going towards and how it is divided at least. At least then I would have some knowledge of why I have to pay 600 more dollars.....

[GCWaters]

R1 and D1 went hand and hand. *To see otherwise is to be ignorant of the obvious. *



In general, they tend to go together, although it's not a perfect relationship. But get the order right: you go d1 to enhance R1, not vice versa...otherwise, you get good athletics with an academic program that can't keep up...sound like the Fighting Who, anyone? ;D

[Herd_Mentality]

R1 and D1 went hand and hand. *To see otherwise is to be ignorant of the obvious. *


Thank you....this is what I was trying to get at all along.

[Junior]

BisonFan,

Only trying to make that point that the State of ND aways seems to miss the mark when it comes to getting young people back in the state.